MGHS Review 2021

Here in Australia we are truly spoiled for choice when it comes to the sheer number of manufacturers on offer.

While the prices of big players like Toyota, Mazda and even Hyundai seem to be constantly rising, there is obviously no shortage of future contenders like MG, LDV and Haval to take advantage of the vacuum created at the bottom of the price scale.

Indeed, the results speak for themselves: the two brands of the Chinese giant SAIC in our market, LDV and MG, consistently demonstrate brilliant sales figures. However, the question that many curious consumers will ask is simple. Are they better off paying less and driving away in a car like the MG HS today, or should they put their name on an extremely long waiting list for the segment's most popular hero: the Toyota RAV4?

To find out, I tried the entire MG HS lineup for 2021. Read on to find out what's what.

MG HS 2021: kernel
Safety Rating
engine's type	1.5 L turbo
fuel type	Regular unleaded gasoline
Fuel efficiency	7.3l / 100km
Landing	5 Places
Price from	$22,700

Does it represent good value for money? What functions does it have? 8/10

With prices starting at $29,990, it's easy to see why MGs have been flying off the shelves lately.

When it arrived at the end of 2020, the HS was MG's most important model, launching the brand into its most mainstream segment with a midsize SUV. Prior to its arrival, MG had been playing in a cheap and fun space with its MG3 budget hatchback and ZS small SUV, but the HS was packaged from the start with a digitized cockpit, a suite of active safety features and a European low-power turbocharged engine.

Since then, the range has expanded to cover even more affordable markets, starting with the base Core model.

It features a 10.1-inch multimedia touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. (HS Core variant shown) (Image: Tom White)

The Core carries the aforementioned $29,990 price tag and comes with a relatively impressive array of hardware. Standard equipment includes 17-inch alloy wheels, a 10.1-inch multimedia touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, a semi-digital instrument cluster, halogen headlights with LED DRLs, cloth and plastic interior trim, push-button ignition and probably more. other. impressively, a complete active safety package, which we'll cover later. The Core can only be selected with a front-wheel-drive automatic transmission and a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine.

Next up is the mid-range Vibe, which comes in at $30,990. Available with the same engine and basically the same specs, the Vibe adds keyless entry, a leather steering wheel, leather seat trim, electrically auto-folding heated side mirrors, an air-conditioned center console and a set of covers. rails.

The mid-range Excite can be opted for either front-wheel drive with a 1.5-liter engine for $34,990 or a 2.0-liter all-wheel drive for $37,990. The Excite gets 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights with animated LED indicators, interior lighting, built-in sat-nav, alloy pedals, a power tailgate, and a sport mode for the engine and transmission.

Finally, the top HS model is the Essence. Essence can be selected with either a 1.5L turbocharged front-wheel drive for $38,990, a 2.0-liter turbocharged 42,990WD for $46,990, or as an interesting front-wheel drive plug-in hybrid for $XNUMX.

17-inch alloy wheels come standard. (HS Core variant shown) (Image: Tom White)

Essence gets power adjustable and heated front seats, puddle lights for the driver's door, sportier seat designs, a panoramic sunroof and a 360-degree parking camera.

The plugin adds a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster as well as a completely different powertrain for the hybrid system, which we'll also look at later.

The range is undeniably good, and combined with the luxurious looks even on the base Core, it's not hard to see why MG has skyrocketed into Australia's top XNUMX automakers. Even the top-end PHEV manages to outperform the long-standing Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV by a decent margin.

When it comes to the raw numbers, the MG HS seems to be off to a good start, especially when you factor in a full suite of safety equipment and a seven-year warranty.

Is there anything interesting about its design? 7/10

If the price wasn't enough to draw people into dealerships, the design certainly would. It's hard to call the HS original, with some clear influences from popular rivals like Mazda in its bold chrome-embossed grille and bold color options.

At the very least, the HS is a cool and curvy take that many of its Japanese and Korean rivals have turned to sharp corners and boxy shapes in recent years. The most important thing for MG, as an emerging mass manufacturer, is that its design is bright and youthful. It's a powerful sales cocktail when trendy looks are combined with affordable finances and attractive price tags.

Inside the GS initially looks great. Things like the three-spoke sports steering wheel are European-inspired, and the HS is certainly set to wow people with its array of large, bright LED screens and soft-touch surfaces that stretch from the dashboard to the doors. It looks and feels good, even refreshing, compared to some of its tired rivals.

Look too closely, though, and the façade will start to disappear. Seating is the biggest advantage for me. It feels unnaturally high, and not only do you look down at the steering wheel and instruments, but you are also alerted to how narrow the windshield really is. Even the A-pillar and rear-view mirror prevent me from seeing when the driver's seat is set to its lowest possible position.

The seat material itself also feels plush and chunky, and while soft, it lacks the support needed for extended driving.

Screens also look good from a distance, but when you start interacting with them, you will run into some problems. The stock software is downright ordinary in both its layout and appearance, and the weak processing power behind it makes it a bit slow to use. It can take almost 30 seconds for the digital instrument cluster in a PHEV to start up after you hit the ignition switch, by which point you'll be well out of the road and down the road.

So, is this all too good to be true for the price? The look, materials and software leave something to be desired, but if you're coming out of a machine that's more than a few years old, there's nothing really outstanding here and it meets many key requirements, just know that the HS isn't up to par when it comes to design or ergonomics.

Inside the GS initially looks great. (HS Core variant shown) (Image: Tom White)

How practical is the interior space? 7/10

The HS has a large cabin, but again, not without flaws that reveal a carmaker new to the mainstream market.

As mentioned, this front seat is roomy enough for me at 182cm, although it was hard to find a place to drive with the ridiculously high seat base and surprisingly narrow windshield. The seat material and position gives me the impression that I'm sitting in a car, not in it, and this has remained true from the base Core to the faux-leather-wrapped Essence PHEV.

However, interior storage space is good: large bottle holders and baskets in the doors that easily fit our largest 500ml CarsGuide demo bottle, similarly sized double cup holders in the center console with a removable baffle, a slot that fits all but the largest smartphones running in parallel and a decent-sized armrest on the center console. In the higher grades, it's air conditioning, which is good for keeping food or drinks cool for longer.

There's also a strange flip-out tray below the function buttons. There is no storage space here, but there are 12V and USB ports.

I find the rear seat to be the main selling point of the HS. (HS Core variant shown) (Image: Tom White)

There are no tactile controls for climate functions, only a button that leads to the corresponding screen in the multimedia package. Controlling such features via the touch screen is never easy, especially when you're behind the wheel, and this is made worse by the slow and laggy software interface.

I find the rear seat to be the main selling point of the HS. The number of rooms on offer is excellent. I have many leagues of room for my legs and knees behind my seat, and I'm 182cm tall. There's plenty of headroom regardless of the option, even with the panoramic sunroof installed.

Storage options for rear passengers include a large bottle holder in the door and a drop-down armrest with two large but shallow bottle holders. Higher grades also get a drop-down tray here where items can be stored.

More entry-level cars don't have outlets or adjustable rear vents on the back of the center console, but by the time you get to the top-end Essence, you have two USB outlets and dual adjustable vents.

Even the plush door upholstery continues and the seatbacks can recline slightly, making the rear outboard seats the best seats in the house.

Boot capacity is 451 liters (VDA) regardless of variant, even the top-of-the-range plug-in hybrid. It lands roughly in the middle of the segment. For reference, it was able to devour our entire CarsGuide luggage set, but only without the pop-up lid, and left no extra space.

Gasoline versions have a spare part under the floor to save space, but due to the presence of a large lithium battery pack, the PHEV makes do with a repair kit. It's also one of the few cars with an underfloor cutout specifically for the included wall charging cable.

What are the main characteristics of the engine and transmission? 7/10

The MG HS is available with three transmission options out of four. The base two cars, Core and Vibe, can only be selected with a 1.5kW/119Nm 250-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol engine that drives the front wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

Excite and Essence of the highest class can also be selected in this layout or in all-wheel drive with a 2.0-liter turbocharged petrol engine with 168 kW/360 Nm. This combination still has a dual-clutch automatic, but with only six speeds.

The Core is powered by a 1.5kW/119Nm 250-liter turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. (HS Core variant shown) (Image: Tom White)

Meanwhile, the halo variant of the HS line is the Essence plug-in hybrid. This car combines a more affordable 1.5-litre turbo with a relatively powerful 90kW/230Nm electric motor, also on the front axle. Together they drive the front wheels through a 10-speed traditional automatic torque converter.

The electric motor is powered by a 16.6 kWh Li-Ion battery that can be charged at a maximum output of 7.2 kW via the EU type 2 AC charging port located in the cap opposite the fuel tank.

The power figures on offer here are pretty good across the board, and the technology is state-of-the-art and low-emissions oriented. Dual-clutch automatic transmissions are a surprise, but more on that in the driving section of this review.

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How much fuel does it consume? 8/10

For a midsize SUV, the HS has impressive official/combined fuel consumption numbers.

The turbocharged 1.5-litre front-wheel-drive variants have an overall official figure of 7.3L/100km, compared to the base Core I drove for the week at 9.5L/100km. Slightly different from the official figures, but it is impressive that in the real world an SUV of this size has fuel consumption below 10.0 l/100 km.

For a midsize SUV, the HS has impressive official/combined fuel consumption numbers. (HS Core variant shown) (Image: Tom White)

The 2.0-liter all-wheel-drive cars fall slightly short of the mark, scoring an actual 13.6 l/100 km in Richard Berry's weekly test against the official 9.5 l/100 km.

Finally, the plug-in hybrid has an absurdly low fuel consumption rating thanks to its large battery and powerful electric motor, but assumes the owner will only drive it under ideal conditions. I was still impressed to find that my test week in the PHEV returned 3.7L/100km, especially since I managed to completely drain the battery for at least a day and a half of driving.

All HS engines require the use of 95 octane mid-grade unleaded gasoline.

What safety equipment is installed? What is the safety rating? 8/10

It's impressive that MG managed to pack the entire active safety suite into every HS, especially the base core.

Active features of the MG Pilot-branded package include automatic emergency braking at freeway speed (detects pedestrians and cyclists at speeds up to 64 km/h, vehicles at speeds up to 150 km/h), lane keeping assist with lane departure warning , blind spot monitoring with rear cross traffic alert, automatic high beams, traffic sign recognition and adaptive cruise control with traffic jam assist.

Of course, some automakers can add some extra features like driver warning and rear AEB, but having the whole package even in the entry-level variant is impressive nonetheless. Since the launch of this vehicle, software updates have even greatly improved lane keeping and forward collision warning sensitivity (they are now less extreme).

Six airbags are standard on every HS along with the expected brakes, stability control and traction control. The HS received the maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating by 2019 standards, earning respectable scores in all categories, though the PHEV variant is different enough to miss it this time around.

Warranty and safety rating

Basic Warranty

7 years / unlimited mileage


guarantee

ANCAP Safety Rating

How much does it cost to own? What kind of guarantee is provided? 7/10

MG is taking a leaf out of Kia's book by offering an impressive seven-year, unlimited-mileage warranty on every HS variant except the PHEV.

Instead, the PHEV is covered by the standard five-year unlimited mileage warranty, as well as a separate eight-year, 160,000 km lithium battery warranty. The brand's justification for this is that hybrid play is a "different business" compared to its petrol range.

At the time of writing, the limited-price service has not yet been fixed, but the brand promises us that the schedule is on the way. We'd be surprised if it was expensive, but be aware that brands like Kia have used higher service prices in the past to cover a longer than average warranty.

What is it like to drive? 6/10

HS causes mixed feelings behind the wheel. It's bold for a manufacturer recently rebooted as MG to have a sophisticated, low-power, low-emission turbocharged engine mated to a dual-clutch automatic transmission. A lot can go wrong with this combination.

I said at the launch of this car that the transmission was fairly conventional. It was reluctant, often getting into the wrong gear, and driving was just plain unpleasant in every way. The brand told us that the powertrain received a significant software update that coincided with the introduction of other HS variants, and to be fair, there have indeed been changes.

The seven-speed dual clutch is now much more responsive, shifting gears more predictably, and when it's called upon to make decisions in corners, it now runs more smoothly than it used to wobble and skip gears.

However, unresolved issues still remain. It can be reluctant to start from a dead stop (a common feature of dual clutch) and seems to especially dislike steep climbs. Even in my driveway, it would choke between first and second gear with a clear loss of power if it made the wrong decision.

HS causes mixed feelings behind the wheel. (HS Core variant shown) (Image: Tom White)

The HS's ride is tuned for comfort, which is a breath of fresh air from many sportier midsize SUVs. It handles bumps, potholes, and city bumps remarkably well, and plenty of noise filtering from the engine bay keeps the cabin nice and quiet. However, it's easy to take the handling of your Japanese and Korean rivals for granted.

The HS feels sloppy in corners, with a high center of gravity and a ride that's particularly prone to body roll. It's an upside down experience if your suburb, for example, is full of roundabouts and hardly inspires confidence when cornering. Even little calibration tweaks like a slow steering rack and pedals that lack sensitivity show areas where this car could be improved.

I had very little time behind the wheel of the 2.0-litre turbocharged all-wheel-drive variant. Be sure to read Richard Berry's review of the variant to get his thoughts, but this machine had more of the same issues, but with slightly better ride and handling thanks to improved traction and more weight.

The most interesting variant of HS is PHEV. This car is by far the best to drive with smooth, powerful and instant electric torque. Even when the engine in this car is on, it runs much smoother as it replaces the messy dual-clutch automatic transmission with a 10-speed torque converter that shifts gears with ease.

The best way to drive it, however, is a pure electric vehicle where the HS PHEV shines. Not only can it run on electricity alone (for example, the engine will not start even at speeds up to 80 km/h), but driving performance and handling are also improved due to the weight of the batteries.

While there is still significant room for improvement in the HS lineup, it's impressive how far the brand has come in the short time since this midsize SUV arrived in Australia.

The fact that the PHEV is the best car to drive today bodes well for the future of the brand.

Verdict

The HS is a curious midsize SUV competitor, entering the Australian market not only as a proposition for budget-conscious buyers who can no longer afford or don't want to wait for the Toyota RAV4, but also as an unlikely plug-in tech leader. in a hybrid.

The range offers high-end safety and performance with attractive looks at an extremely attractive price. It's easy to see why HS is a hit with customers. Just be aware that it's not without compromises when it comes to handling, ergonomics, and a lot of less obvious areas where it's easy to take the brilliance of its competitors for granted.

Weirdly, we go with the top-of-the-line PHEV model as it is the most competitive with the competition and has the highest scores on our benchmarks, but it's also undeniable that the entry-level Core and Vibe are excellent value for money in challenging environments. market.